Under a New Moon
by Inu Youkai
Summary: The Final Chapter of the Fic "Under a New Moon." The Prom is finally here..what will happen to our Heroes? Well..read and find out! ^.^ R&R Please!! Arigatou!
1. Parting of Ways

Under a New Moon

**Under a New Moon**

By: Inu Youkai 

Kagome dreaded the thought of having to go back to school and take one more of those tests that were slowly driving her insane. It felt as if every time she crossed through the well and back into her own time, there was a special, really hard test waiting with her name on it. She saw the points of the school's roof come into view as she walked further up the hill as she let out a deep sigh. She gave her temples a quick rub as she kept reminding herself, "It's almost over..it's almost over.." 

As she neared the entrance gate to the school, she could her the voices of the many teenagers laughing and conversing before the final bell rang. She gave a soft smile, as she looked at all the familiar faces of her peers. It was nice to see people she recognized and who dressed and acted like her. Being in the Feudal ages, majority of the time, was slowly becoming a habit to Kagome, but seeing those few faces of her past, made her appreciate her time even more. However, she did love seeing Miroku and Sango always arguing, Shippo being bonked on the head by Inu Yasha and… "Inu Yasha.." Kagome softly muttered to herself. It had been three days since she last saw the group because of her final exams coming up and her argument with the demon. She had to study. And while everyone else understood her departure, Inu Yasha was always standing there in front of the well, with that smug look on his face and his arms folded across his chest. If it weren't for those prayer beads around his neck, who knows if Kagome would ever be able to get home. But now, that wasn't a concern.. 

**~* Three days earlier *~**

"Inu Yasha! You know darn well I have tests that I need to study for! I'm trying my hardest to get into a good High School and running back and forth between my time, my many absences and consent "sicknesses," isn't help my cause at all!" 

"I don't care! We are so close to this jewel being done that I can almost taste it! And when we finally get a led on where Naraku is, YOU decide to run back home and take a stupid test! I won't let you go!" 

"You can't tell me when I can and can't go! I know we're close, but it will only be a couple of days and personally, getting into a High School is more important than this stupid jewel!" 

"You always leave! Just say you're sick again or something!" 

"No Inu Yasha! MY tests and MY life come first, not yours!" 

"I'm not letting you by me." 

"Oh is that a fact?" 

"Damn right, bitch!" 

"SIT! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT and SIT!" 

**THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD and THUD!**

Even through the dirt the muffled curses and yells of Inu Yasha could be heard clearly, but Kagome paid no mind as she finished packing her carrying sack and headed out of Kaede's hut. As she trekked through the forest, she could feel the demon approaching her fast, up until the point where he jumped down in front of the well, his face covered with blotches of dirt and grass. 

"Out of my way Inu Yasha or next time it will be 10 "you-know-whats" in a row!" 

"I just want you to know that if you go back now don't even think of returning back here." 

"Eh?" 

"I'm sick of this Kagome. I'm sick of you always running off when we need you the most! We are so fucking close and now, of all times, you have to leave! If you go, then stay in your fucking time!" 

Kagome looked at Inu Yasha for a few seconds with a blank stare as his words slowly entered her brain. She blinked a few times when it finally hit, and she could feel her body tremble with both anger and sadness. 

_He doesn't need me anymore..he never needed me! He never cared about my needs or me! It was always the jewel! It was always about himself!_

She felt the tears begin to weld in her eyes but she quickly shook them away as she shot out at Inu Yasha, ripping the necklace that contained the Shikon Half on it, throwing it at his chest. 

"There! Take it! Take your damn jewel! Your damn life! You don't need me?! Well I don't need you! Happy hunting Inu Yasha and don't worry, you won't have to see me ever again! If all you're going to care about is yourself then I hope you live a happy life with you and that piece of glass! Sayonara Dog Boy!" 

And with that, Kagome shoved Inu Yasha out of the well's entrance and jumped inside, disappearing into the darkness. It took Inu Yasha a few moments to collect himself and to realize that she had actually done it. He slowly looked down towards the ground and carefully picked up the Shikon Half that she had thrown at him. He swallowed hard, his heart beginning to hurt. He really didn't mean those words..he was just angry...he needed Kagome..without her..what was the point of anything or doing anything? It's no fun arguing over the jewel if she wasn't there to always yell at him back. What had he done? How could he have been so stupid?! 

"She really meant it…" He softly whispered to himself as he looked back down into the well, a great sadness pulling at his heart. He had to shake it off, she was just a stupid mortal girl who did nothing but get them into trouble. It was her fault we were in this whole mess to begin with! He told himself. 

"Fine! Stay there! See if I care!" He yelled down into the well as he stormed off back towards the village while a faint scent of the girl hung in the air like a blanket. Inu Yasha quickened his pace; he had to get away from it fast. 

**~* Present *~**

Kagome slipped through the gates of the school and was quickly jumped upon by her three friends, jumping up and down as if they could barely contain themselves. 

"Kagome-Chan! Guess what this Friday is!" Keiko exclaimed excitedly. 

"Ne…." 

"Oh come on Kagome! You have to know!" Rei shook her arm like it were a rag doll's. Kagome was being thrown back and forth by the two girls when finally Ayashi broke in and informed Kagome of the news. 

"It's the Junior Prom! It's already here! Sensei said that the principal allowed it this year, the first time in over ten years! Isn't that exciting?!" 

"I..I..I guess so..but..I don't have a-" Kagome was quickly cut off. 

"We're going shopping this afternoon for dresses! You have to come with us! You have to go to Prom. It's our only chance to go! Besides, I overheard Hojo-chan saying that he wanted to ask you but afraid you'd forget about him again or get ill." 

Sweat drop.

"Please Kagome! Please please please?! Say you'll come!" All the girls suddenly huddled in a tight circle, bottom lips out and quivering while their eyes got large and sad like. Kagome looked at them and gave a deep sigh. Well she could now. It's not like she would be running back to the past any time soon, if ever. And now would be the perfect time to finally get a date without Inu Yasha always popping up..ofcourse..even the though of that boy made her heart hurt..she missed him terribly..even though she didn't want to admit it. She wanted to go back and apologize..she wanted to make amends..but he never wanted to see her again… 

"Okay..I'll go." Kagome muttered. 

"YAY!!!!" All three of the girls suddenly grabbed Kagome up in a huge hug, jumping up and down excitedly. Kagome laughed and smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all… 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha lounged on his usual branch of the God tree, his arms folded across his chest, a stern yet blank look plastered on his face. Three days since...he growled to himself. That stupid girl running off and believing him! Were all teenaged girls of her time that gullable?! She snorted in disgust and turned his head slightly, glancing down towards the base of the tree. Usually Kagome would be standing there, yelling at him to come down and he would roll his eyes and do so. But now..the only words that Inu Yasha could hear were the mock whispers of the trees, laughing at him. 

_"Ay there dog boy..lost yer woman I see..." _

"Ah..don't be so hard on him..it's not his fault he's an idiot.." 

"Doesn't even know how to react around the woman he loves.." 

"Gah! Shutup!" Inu Yasha yelled, folding his dog ears back against his head. Now even the forest was making fun of him. He really did blow it, didn't he. And what the hell did they mean by the woman he loves?! 

"I do not love her you pathetic excuses for fire wood!" Inu Yasha exclaimed, jumping down from the branch and storming away back towards the village. He couldn't stay there while the damned trees mocked him! His shoulders began to sag slightly as the anger slowly began to wear off his body as realization took over. He....didn't love her...did he? No, he couldn't. How could he?! She was always crying or yelling or making him plumit into the ground with that stupid "S-word!" She always complained how he acted, telling him he should act more respectful like Miroku or loveable like Shippo if he ever expected to get anywhere in a relationship..wait..relationship with you?! What was that wench planning? Did she...no...no, she couldn't. She seemed to be dispised by him..didn't she? Inu Yasha stopped for a moment and leaned against the trunk of one of the trees, cupping his chin with his forefinger and thumb in a questionable stance. She did act like she didn't like him..right? 

_"Inu Yasha?! Are you okay?!" _

"Inu Yasha no Baka! You're going to get yourself killed!" 

"I swear Inu Yasha, one of these days, you're going to go off and get yourself killed and then what?! Don't you ever think of what I or anyone else might feel if you died..especially me..." 

He stopped in mid-thought with a hurtful realization. She did care about him...and he was always so blind to even notice...he wasn't used to anyone actually telling him that they cared..well..Kikyou always had her suttle way but Kagome..she said it and yet her words just went right over his head. If she ever did tell him that she cared, he always pushed it aside, telling her to stop whining so much. And yet now..he wished... 

"How could I have been so blind.." he whispered to himself..now he understood why her eyes looked so hurt when he told her not to come back..he did care about her and her life..but at that moment he was just so frustrated that they were so close and then he went and took it out on her..the most important person he needed by his side was never going to come back..all because of him... 

Suddenly a faint rustle caught his sensitive hearing as he quickly looked over to where the well was. It rustled a few more times and Inu Yasha quickly hurried over to it, praying that it would be her emerging from that darkness. He jumped towards the ledge hoping to grab her as she came out, hug her and yell at her for leaving him like that and then hug her again, apologizing over and over again. 

"Kagome I-...!" but he stopped short as when he landed by the lip of the well, all he was greeted by was the faint rustle of the wind against the leaves that had been built up against the wall of the well. Silence fell on Inu Yasha again as he stared down into the blackness of the well, staring and straining for a faint outline of her form..that beautiful form that always made him stare whenever she wasn't looking..a faint hint of that sweet scent that filled his sensitive dog nose of honey and jasmine..and her..that woman he..needed so desperatley... 

"Suck up your pride man and just go and apologize and ask her....beg her to come back to you!" he scolded himself. Inu Yasha quickly glanced around his surroundings, making sure that no one would follow, and with one quick leap, he was in the well, traveling through an eternity. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He would never get used to that sudden stop as he hit the floor of the wall and fell with a thud, his face burying itself into the dirt. He quickly stood up, wiping the smuge from his face as he catiously scaled the wall of the well with ease, poking his eyes up just enough to give a slight glance around, making sure Kagome wasn't around. With one easy shove, he was up and out of the well, slowly walking up the steps to the entrance of the mini shrine. He kept thinking over and over in his head how he was going to apologize. His usual, "Get your ass back here, Kagome!" sure as hell wasn't going to work. He had to tone it down..make it more.. 

_

"Geez Inu Yasha, you'd think being alive for over 500 years, you would've learned sensitivity by now!"

_

Sensitivity..ne..he was going to have to work on that..a lot. He kept practicing over and over in his head more kinder words than his usual. _Kagome..PLEASE get your ass back here!_ Gah! No..ummm..._Wench I'll...I'll cry if you don't come back!_ Oh what the hell am I thinking?! He'd never be "sensitive" at this rate. His best bet was to just..well...lie and tell her Shippo needed her back..atleast..he could tell his feelings through the little fox child...and when the time was right...explain his side... 

He poked his head slightly out the door of the shrine and glanced around. He couldn't hear or see anyone coming, but her scent hung faintly in the air. He glanced upwards to where her house was, catching sight of her bedroom window and the branch he usually sat in when he would wait for her to come home from school and then tell her to hurry up and come back to his world. So many days he remembered, as he would watch her sleep at night, just for the sake of his being lonely..on those nights..he would just watch her..loving the sight of the moon striking her sleeping face just right..like an angel's vision.. 

_"Gotta snap out of it!"_ He told himself as he quickly made a break from the shrine to the tree. He moved with blinding speed as with one leap, he was up and perched silently on his branch, hiding in the dense foliage to make himself unknown. He peered through her window and discovered she wasn't there..._"Where could she be..?.."_ he wondered as he laid himself back against the trunk, folding his arms across his chest as usual, and keeping his ears alert as he let himself doze for a bit..atleast he'd have something to break his sensitive side if it got out of hand... 

"Feh..women..always keeping a man waiting..." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome, Rei, Ayashi and Keiko came busting through her bedroom dooring, giggling and throwing many of their shopping bags down onto her bed. Inu Yasha's ears quickly jumped into action as his eyes shot open to the four girls bustling back and forth in the room, removing these brightly covered garments from bags. He peered closer, trying to get a better look at what was going on, but more importantly, a better look at her. She looked..so.. 

"Wah! I'm so happy! They had my favorite color in this beautiful dress! Can you believe it?! What luck!" Kagome exclaimed excitedly as she held the dress up to herself as she gazed into the mirror. It was a long, dark hue of Amber gold with thin straps for the shoulders and criss-cross straps in the back that seemed to fit her form well. The other girls nodded in agreement as she looked at her, removing similar dresses but of different colors. Keiko glanced over at Kagome who seemed to be in a slight trance as she stared at the dress in the mirror. Keiko giggled. 

"Kagome..what's wrong? Are you thinking about a boy?!" All the girls suddenly bursted out into giggles as her cheeks turned to a red hue. Inu Yasha leaned even further this time, really trying to hear the conversation now. Kagome turned back around, hanging the dress up onto a hanger and sitting down in her desk's chair. She had bought the dress in that color because it reminded her of his eyes..that dark amber gold..the moment she had seen it, she thought of him..what would he say if he had seen her in the dress. She rolled her eyes at the thought. _"What the hell is that silly garment you are wearing?! You aren't expecting to fight in that thing are you? Get back into your weird clothes because we have a mission to complete if you've forgotten already."_ She sighed and shook her head. Definetly what he would say..he had never commented on her style of clothing..not that he ever really understood, but as long as she looked like Kikyou, everything she wore was "a silly garment." All three of the girls watched the sudden changes of emotion on Kagome's face as it looked like an ongoing battle of thought. They looked curiously at eachother before Rei leaned over and shook Kagome's shoulder. 

"Ne..Kagome..are you okay?" 

Kagome quickly snapped to attention. "Ne?" 

"You were thinking about Hojo weren't you?!" Keiko exclaimed with a giggle. 

Kagome's eyes widended slightly in surprise as the girls all burst into giggles. A sweatdrop formed on the back of her head as she shook her head and hands quickly in defense. 

"No no! I was-..!" 

"Wondering if he'd take you to Prom..I told you already Kagome, he wants to take you! You just have to say 'yes!'" Rei said. Inu Yasha blinked at his statement in puzzlement. What the hell was a prom and if that hojo whatshisface even tries to..! Kagome smiled and waved her hands at her friends. 

"I know I know..I'm just..taking my time..I don't want to say 'yes' incase someone else decides to ask me.." She said bashfully. Inu Yasha cocked his ear slightly. Someone else? Who..? All the girls stared at her. 

"Kagome, you have a secret crush?!" 

"Oooo! And you didn't tell us?!" 

"Who?! Who?!" 

Kagome only sighed softly as she stared down at the floor. Well..it's not like he was a "crush" but..she had tried to shut those emotions off ever since she had seen Kikyou and him kiss..it was inevitable that they would never be together..and if so..it was only because he thought Kagome as his long lost love..and there was never a point to put her heart through a love that wasn't even for her..but her former self. 

"He's..he's just someone I know..from..the past.." She muttered softly. 

"Kagome..why don't you ask him to Prom if you like him so much.." Rei spoke quietly, seeing the sudden hurt on her friend's face. Kagome smiled slightly. Yeah..funny..she could just imagine Inu Yasha's face. 

_Inu Yasha..would..you like to go to Prom with me..? _

What the hell is a Prom?! 

It's..well..a dance..a formal dance occasion in my time.. 

Do I have to get up for it? 

Well ofcourse you do Inu Yasha! You have to wear a nice suit and dance with me. 

Dance?! Woman, what the hell is your problem?! I'm a demon and demons no not dance! Let alone get dressed up in a..whatever a suit thing is..Besides, we have work to do rather than go dance as some "prom" thing.. 

"No..no..it's okay..he doesn't dance and he doesn't even know what a prom is.." 

"He doesn't know what a prom is?! What's wrong with him?" Keiko said. 

"It's like he's from another time or something." Rei added. Kagome could only laugh at that statement as her friends looked at her, confused. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha's heart slowly began to hurt as he watched the pain etch across Kagome's face. She was talking about him..as if..she didn't hate him at all..as if she..she too missed him..He had to apologize and bring her back with him, now..even more than before.. 

"Oh well you guys, it doesn't matter anyways. We had a fight a long time ago and he doesn't even want to see me any more.." She stated as she stood up and clapped her hands infront of her. "He's just in the past now." No pun intended, she added silently. The girls all rushed over to give her friend a hug and rant and rave how men were just jerks. Inu Yasha sighed softly upon hearing those words leave that sweet mouth of hers. He leaned back in the tree, carefully making his way down the trunk to the base. _"Guess I was wrong.."_ he whispered to himself as he headed away from tree to the mini shrine. She seemed happy now..with her friends..in her time..with her "proms" and "hojos." She didn't need him hovering around her anymore... 

Kagome smiled and laughed at her friend's "men" comments when suddenly a familiar ping hit her mind and she quickly rushed over to her bedroom window, looking around, but only the window caught her black tendrils, whispering them around her face. "Kagome, you okay?" Rei asked. Kagome looked into the tree, hoping to caught his familiar outline in the leaves but all that was there was a faint memory. Kagome slowly nodded and turned back to her friends, a small smile on her face. 

"Yeah..I just..thought I felt something..." 

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Finding You

Under a New Moon: Part 2 ** **

Under a New Moon: Part 2 

By: Inu Youkai 

Inu Yasha slowly sat down on the lip of the well, his face buried in the palms of his hands as he let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't believe the words that he had just heard from the mouth of the woman he had come back to reclaim...to apologize..to tell..so much. 

_

"Oh well you guys, it doesn't matter anyways. We had a fight a long time ago and he doesn't even want to see me any more. He's just in the past now..."

_

As the words had entered his mind, he could feel his heart slowly breaking into thousands of tiny little pieces..much like the way the Shikon No Tama had shattered on that faithful day so many months ago. Inu Yasha slowly pulled his face away from his hands long enough to look down to the necklace which hung loosely around this neck, the shimmering piece of glass sparkling right back at him in an almost ironic manner. So many years had he fought for this jewel. Countless people harmed at his claws, and most importantly, one heart broken. He stared at the jewel for the longest time, realizing that what he had wanted all this time was finally in his hands, and..he didn't want it. Infact, now that he thought about it clearly, he hadn't wanted it for the longest time. He very gently held the half jewel between his thumb and forefinger, turning it over slowly, examining it as though it would spell out the reason for his sudden lack of intrest in it. And then suddenly, it hit him. "It..it was because of her..." All those months together with Kagome, Inu Yasha had always used the Shikon No Tama as an excuse to keep Kagome in his time. The whole reason he was always chasing after her, yelling at her, dragging her back away from the well was because he wanted her to stay..with him, and the only way to convince her to stay was because..."I need you to help me finish this jewel.." He looked back down at the jewel, its faint shimmer casting a light spectrum off the gold at which it hung around. "When I found out she was going to be leaving for twice as long as she usually did..I couldn't..I couldn't stand not seeing her for that long..I yelled at her..I used the jewel's sake..but I needed her to stay with me...I needed her by my side.." Images of those three days ago flashed over and over again in Inu Yasha's mind as he buried his face back into his hands, fighting back the tears that had begun to sting his eyes. 

_"I just want you to know that if you go back through that well, don't even think about returning back here." _

"Eh?" 

"I'm so sick of this Kagome. I'm so sick of you always running off when we need you the most! We are so fucking close and now, of all times, you have to leave! If you go, then stay in your fucking time!" 

"Kagome...gomen...gomen.." Inu Yasha's shoulders began to shake as his salty tears slowly slid down his cheeks and against those soft pink lips. All his built up anger and sadness had begun to take their toll on him as he slowly stood up, wanting to break anything, something to take the tension away. He looked around quickly, finding an old crate in the corner. He walked over to it and with one quick movement, his fist was through the crate's side, shattering it into tiny pieces. He looked down at his folded fist and sighed deeply. The tears continued to fall as he tried to shake the feeling off, but it was of no use. He always found a way, in his most stubborn and idiotic manner, to mess things up between him and Kagome, and now this was the worst of it all. "We need you..I..I need you Kagome-chan..." he softly whispered as he turned and looked out the window of the mini shrine towards where her bedroom window lay. He could still hear the faint laughs and giggles of her and her friends as he climbed up onto the lip of the well and jumped back into the welcoming darkness. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As he pulled himself out of the well, he was suddenly greeted by a so unwelcoming grin and furry face. He sighed deeply, shoving Shippo out of his way as he started walking back towards the village. Shippo fell off the lip of the well and quickly hurried after Inu Yasha, growling and jumping up and down, mad. 

"Baka! What was that for?! Where's Kagome?? What did you do with her?! WAAHH! Inu Yasha! If anything happened to her I'm going to knawl your head off!" 

Suddenly Shippo had transformed himself into his huge pink bubble monster and began to knawl on Inu Yasha's head. Inu Yasha stopped in mid stance and with one quick swipe, Shippo flew around the forest like a popped balloon until finally coming to rest on Inu Yasha's shoulder. 

"Shippo, leave me the fuck alone!" 

"Not until you tell me where Kagome is! She's been gone for close to a week! Where is she?!" 

"She's not here." He continued his walk with Shippo right behind him. 

"Well no shit she's not here! What did you do to her?! Inu Yasha? Inu Yasha! Tell me!!" 

Suddenly he stopped again and he turned around slowly, giving the little fox one of those "I'm going to rip your head off looks," and with the most sly grin he licked his fangs and whispered, 

"I ate her." And upon that, continued his walk back to the village. Shippo had stopped in mid track, his jaw agape and his eyes as big as saucers. 

"You...you....you did what?!?! WAAAAHHHHH!!! Inu Yasha!!!!" Shippo suddenly broke off into a heated run right after the Hanyou, yelling and screaming curses as he jumped onto his back, bonking him on the head over and over again as they both headed across the bridge over the stream and into the village. 

"You stupid fox! I was kidding!" 

"That's not funny!" 

"I found it hilarious!!" 

"I hate you Inu Yasha!!" 

"The feeling is mutual kid." 

***BONK***

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha watched the the fire crackled against the timbers in the fire. He sat in his usual stance, arms folded over his chest and his face stern yet with a focused look. He watched the flames dance back and forth like a sensual mating ritual and he sighed gently. He glanced slightly over to the corner of the hut where the fox demon was curled up against Sango while Miroku was in the other corner, sleeping with his back up against the wall. He turned back to the fire and looked up slowly to the old woman before him, as she poked through the logs to continue the fire blazing. She carefully set her stick down and cleared her throat, looking up towards the demon with a gentle expression. Inu Yasha turned his gaze away slowly..he couldn't bare to feel pity from others..let alone a look of concern or care..not after what he had done. 

"Inu Yasha..where is Kagome..?" Kaede spoke quietly as to not wake the others. This was a personal conversation, the only her and Inu Yasha had ever had between themselves. She could sense the frustration and guilt that lay on his soul and was etched across his face. Now, was the time, to hear the truth from his own mouth, and not his face. 

"Feh. Baba. She went home for another one of her "test" things." 

"Inu Yasha..it's almost the end of the week..she never takes this long and you know it." 

"How should I know?! I don't even know what the hell a test is! Now you expect me to know how long it takes her." 

"If she is taking one of her tests then..why do you have the Shikon no Tama?" 

Inu Yasha blinked and looked down, realizing that he still held the necklace around his neck, and even with her faint eyesight, she could detect the orb's glow from behind his kimono. His act of trying to hide the truth was beginning to wear thin. She may have been old but she wasn't stupid, and even after all these years of hiding his pain behind sarcasm, this of all times was something that could not be hidden. He sighed softly, looking slowly back up to Kaede with a hurt yet stern look upon his face. 

"What I say old hag stays between you and I..do you understand?" he whispered. The old woman gave a soft nod as he cleared his throat and began softly. "Kagome was going to go back home for another test..I..I got angry at her for leaving so soon after her last trip back home and I told her..not to come back if she decided to leave. I was angry and didn't mean it..but she believed me and left..she gave..well..threw the jewel at me before she disappeared into the well.." 

Kaede slowly nodded as she to whispered. "So that is where you disappeared off to this afternoon..?" Inu Yasha slowly nodded. 

"I went back to apologize but..she..seemed much happier back in her time so..I left." he said. 

"So you decided that there was no point in you apologizing to her if it meant she might have to come back to your time and become unhappy again..is that it?" He nodded. Kaede gave a soft smile as she picked her stick back up and began to poke at the dying fire. Inu Yasha's eyes returned to the dancing flames..and as he watched them..their dance reminded him of the way her hair would swirl in the wind..like a black curtain floating in the gentle summer breeze. He could feel his heart begin to ache once more. 

"Oh Inu Yasha..so blind to the truth.." 

"Nani? What is that supposed to mean old hag?" 

"Do you honestly believe that she is happier back in her time rather than here with you?" 

"She was laughing and told her friends that I was already forgotten in her mind.." 

"And you believed her..?" 

"Well..I.." 

"Exactly Inu Yasha. Both you and her both think the same way. Kagome believed you when you told her that you never wanted her to come back. And now, you believed her when she said you were but a faint memory. Now, you tell me something. If you didn't mean what you said, what makes you certain that what she said was the truth?" 

Inu Yasha stopped in mid thought as her words crept into his mind. Could it have been true? Or was she too trying to hide her feelings behind false emotions like himself? All of those times in the past when she would yell at him or tell him she were fine..were those times as well? They did think the same way..they were always hiding their true feelings from one another through lies..and both of them believed the other..and neither one could ever truly admit themselves because they believed... 

"Tomorrow Inu Yasha...go to her..and this time..no more lies..." 

"Hai...Hai..." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was Friday afternoon, and Kagome was running back and forth within her room in a panic. The school had let the juniors out early to prepare for the Prom that evening, and Kagome had realized that she wasn't fully prepared for anything. 

"Ah! I need shoes! How could I have been so stupid to forget shoes?! I don't have any shoes to match!" She quickly ran over to her closet and threw the doors open, dropping to her knees and quickly shoveling through pair after pair of shoes, trying to find one that could go with Amber. Her mother quietly opened the door to bring in her freshly pressed dress, barely dodging a thick soled black pair of pumps that came straight at her head. 

"Kagome! Do be careful where you throw your things!" Her mother exclaimed, recovering from the near shoe-death experience. Kagome pulled her emerged self from the closet and quickly stood up before her mother, bowing in apology. 

"Gomen Kaa-San..I..I was just trying to find a pair of shoes to wear to match my dress and I realized that I do not have any." Her mother smiled and gently patted her shoulder as carefully laid the dress out onto her bed. 

"Not to worry..I believe I have an old pair of my shoes that would go perfectly with your dress. I haven't worn them in ages and I'm pretty sure they would fit your feet nicely." Kagome's eyes widened in surprise as a large grin appeared on her face. 

"Really?! Oh wow! Arigatou!" Her mother nodded with a smile and left the room, returning in a few moments with a pair of golden colored high 3 inch heeled open toed pumps with diamond shaped rhine stones along the open toes. Kagome's hand slowly went to her mouth as she gasped in amazement. They were almost like the glass slippers out of the Cinderella story. Her mother smiled gently as she placed them into her daughter's hand, gently patting them. 

"I wore these at my Junior Prom..ironic isn't it? I hope that they bring you as much luck as they did for me.." Her mother spoke gently. 

"Ne..? Luck..? What do you mean mother..?" 

"It was at my Junior Prom that I met your father..he was so handsome in that three piece suit..he came over to me and said, _'I couldn't help but notice the sparkle of those shoes you are wearing..and I thought to myself..if those shoes sparkle..then it must not be because of those rhine stones..but that sparkling diamond that is wearing them..'_" 

Her mother quietly choked back a sob of happiness as a tear rolled down her cheek. Kagome frowned slightly and gently hugged her mother for support. Her mother smiled and returned the hug and then looking down at her daughter, she brushed her hair back from her forehead and kissed it gently. 

"Ever since that moment your father and I were together..those shoes were my good luck charms..I hope that they bring you as much luck tonight as they did for me.." Kagome slowly nodded with a weak smile as her mother turned and went out the door, shutting it quietly behind her. Kagome turned towards where her dress laid ontop of her bed, and as she placed the pair of shoes besides the dress, she slowly walked over to her window and leaned her elbows upon the sill, cupping her chin in her palms. She enjoyed the feeling of that cool breeze upon her face, and as she looked down towards where the mini shrine lay, the realization had returned. One of the most important nights that she would ever remember was about to happen tonight..and the only person that she wanted to share this special night with..wasn't there. She closed her eyes and began to whisper to herself, her hopes and prayers to anyone who would listen.. 

"For this special night..I wish..I wish that I could see Inu Yasha one last time..even if it was just an outline..a faint image..a picture..anything..to see his face..and to tell him..," her eyes then fluttered open slowly as she gazed up towards the sky and sighed softly, "that I love him.." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was almost nightfall when Inu Yasha finally got back from a wild goose chase when a mention of a Shikon Shard was rumored. He muttered all the way back to the village, cursing himself for getting off tract of going to go see Kagome. He was tense and frustrated. "I'm doing it for her..I have to finish the jewel too.." he whispered to himself. He headed to the well when something suddenly pounced him. 

Inu Yasha struggled to walk with the semi large furball attached to his leg, that look of annoyance plastered all over his face. 

"Iie Shippo! You can't come with me!" 

"Nani?! Why Inu Yasha?! I want to see Kagome!!" 

"Baka! You'll see her soon enough!" 

"Oh..I see...you are her are going to get freaky, aren't you?!" 

"NANI?!?!" 

"You don't want me around because I'll cramp your style and you won't be able to make your moves on Ka-!" 

**BONK BONK BONK BONK BONK!**

"Waahh...my head..." 

Inu Yash snorted in disgust as he looked down at the bumpy head of the fallen Kitsune, rolling his sleeves up and shaking his fist at him. 

"I swear..if you ever say anything like that again I'll..!" 

Suddenly there came a light chuckle from what seemed to be the canopy of the trees. Both Inu Yasha and Shippo stopped in mid glare, looking around quickly for the voice. Suddenly, Inu Yasha's nose caught a familiar scent and a deep growl from heard from his chest. 

"Sessho-Maru..." he whispered. Shippo's eyes widened in fear as he quickly jumped up and hid behind Inu Yasha's legs. 

The light chuckle was heard once again when all of the sudden, Sessho-Maru's image blurred right before them, his one good hand clapping against what seemed to be a new Orge arm, freshly killed because it had not begun to rot yet. Sessho-Maru's usual sly grin was plastered over that beautifully groomed face of his as he towered over the Hanyou, looking down. 

"Well..well dear brother..how nice to see that as soon as you stop badgering your wench..you take up beating on a defenseless kitsune kit..bravo." he said with sarcasm. Inu Yasha growled and went to take a swing at him, but as usual, he was not fast enough. 

"Temper, temper little half-breed..you know what can happen if you push me to far.." 

"Shutup! I don't need you coming around here and starting something! Just go back to the rock you crawled out from under!" Inu Yasha took another swing at him with his claws, but they too missed. Inu Yasha growled as Sessho-Maru just laughed at him. It was bad enough that he was making him look like a fool..but no one called Kagome a wench other than him. 

"Oh ho dear brother..no..I was just out on a nice evening stroll when I looked up in the sky and remembered something..." Sessho-Maru mused. 

"What garbage are you sputering now?" Inu Yasha growled, ready to attack. Sessho-Maru only smiled and waved his hand towards Inu Yasha is a mock gesture. 

"Why don't you look at yourself and you tell me..." Inu Yasha blinked in confusion when his eye slight slowly began to blur. He looked down towards his hands and saw that his nails had begun to retract and his long mane of white hair was now streaked with black. He paniced as he looked up to Sessho-Maru, who was laughing. 

"That is what you half-breeds deserve!" Inu Yasha growled as his knees began to shake below him. Not now..of all times..why did tonight have to be the New Moon?! Shippo tried to help Inu Yasha but he only pushed him aside, motioning him to run. Shippo didn't think twice as he broke into a run towards the village. Sessho-Maru only watched as he descended back to his tree branch, chuckling. Inu Yasha struggled to run towards the well, he had to get there before his strength gave out. He had to get to Kagome... 

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Under a New Moon

Under a New Moon: Part 3 ** **

Under a New Moon: Part 3 

By: Inu Youkai 

She paced back and forth quickly infront of the long mirror, muttering under her breath and then stopping to look at herself again in the mirror before going back to her pace, muttering and complaining. She finally stopped infront of the mirror and stood there for a moment, looking at her reflection, adorned in the beautiful amber dress and shoes, her hair done up into tiny ringlets with cherry blossoms tied into a crown around her hair. She stared at herself for a long time, tilting her head slightly to the side in ponder before looking down at herself in the dress and shoes, allowing a soft sigh to escape beyond those sparkly lip-glossed lips. 

"I just don't...feel complete..." she whispered outloud, gazing back up at herself in the mirror. She knew exactly what was keeping her back, that twinge of pain and hurt that had been aching at her heart all day. She knew he was stubborn, more stubborn than many boys she knew at school, but even though he was stubborn, he always came around at the end. This was the first time that she had known him that he didn't come back to admit he was wrong and then quickly change the subject and somehow blame it on her, erupting the ever present argument they would always have that sealed the fact that even though they seemed to hate eachother on the outside, the truth of the matter was that they couldn't stand to be apart from one another. She felt a small tear break from the corner of her eye and roll its way down her cheek gradually overtop those now pouty soft pink lips. She quickly licked it away, and dispite the taste of cherry on her tongue from the lip gloss, the taste of defeat was there, coating her lips and mouth. Defeat..she had lost..to the one she couldn't bare to lose. 

"Kagome! Rei, Ayashi and Keiko are here! You'd better hurry, the Limo is waiting!" Her mother called from downstairs, breaking the silence that had filled her room. Kagome wiped the rest of the tears away from her cheeks and quickly patted down powder over the tear streaks, clearing her throat and trying to make herself presentable again. 

"Coming!" She looked to the mirror one last time..and then she glanced over to the window..only to be greeted by the emptiness that his form upon her window sill once filled. She turned away and hurried down the stairs to be paraded by flashes of cameras from both her mother and grandfather. 

"Gah! Mama! Grandpa!" 

"Oh Kagome..our little girl has grown up so quickly!" *flash flash flash* "You look so beautiful!" *flash flash* Both her mother and grandfather exclaimed as the flashes fromt he cameras almost made her blind and fall down the steps. A few more pictures were taken with her friends before Kagome finally prided her mother and grandfather off of her and hurried her friends out the door towards the limo. 

"Bye Mama, Grandpa, Sota! I'll see you tonight!" Kagome hollered out the window as the limo drived away, her hand the only thing visible has she waved to her family before disappearing out of sight down the road. Her mother smiled as she watched the car drive away until it was finally out of sight. Her little girl really had grown up. She turned back to the house and walked in through the front door and back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. She could hear her father and Sota in the living room laughing at the cartoons on the television. She smiled and went back to placing the vegetables into the pot when all of the sudden she heard a sort of thud noise come from the mini shrine. She looked up from the cutting board and looked out the window that had a perfect view of the shrine. It was then that she heard the noise once again and wiping her hands off on her apron, she hurried out the back door and down to where the shrine was. She grabbed a flash light that was always up against the door to the shrine and upon turning it on, slowly opened the doors and peered inside, flashing the light all around. It was then that the form that lay on the ground caught her attention, trying to regain its composure and try to make its way up the steps. Thinking it was a ghost, Kagome's mother screamed and threw the flashlight at the figure, knocking it down off the steps and back onto the ground, followed by the usual beray of curses that was a voice all to familiar. 

"Nani?! What in all the hells was that?! Ouch! My head!" Inu Yasha exclaimed, reaching up to rub the bump that was now ever so present on his head. Kagome's mother, hearing the voice, quickly hurried to the steps and found the flashlight, shining it down on Inu Yasha's face. 

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry Inu Yasha! I thought it was a burglar or something! Here let me help you....oh...Inu Yasha..where..where are your ears? What happened to your hair?? I didn't know they had hair coloring back in the Feudal Ages.." Kagome's mother reached down to help the boy up, and upon taking her hand, he stood up and brushed himself off only to be followed by her mother combing his hair for those adorable ears that she loved so much. He quickly backed up and shook his head. 

"Gomen ne..Kagome's mother but I have to see Kagome quickly..I will explain everthing later but I have to see her right away.." He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. He sounded so...polite. Gah! Stupid human form! He always became soft during the new moon. Her mother looked at him and smiled a bit. She could sense that this wasn't the same old Inu Yasha. 

"I'm sorry Inu Yasha..but Kagome isn't here..she left not to long ago to go to her Junior Prom with her friends..she will not be back until later tonight.." 

Inu Yasha frowned after hearing those words. He missed her again..and this time, when he would go back, he would become a demon once again..he thought that being in this human form wasn't so bad. After all, he could probably tell her exactly how he felt..the human heart and conscience had a way of making him do that. 

_"You..you smell good.." _

"What? I thought you said you hated my scent.." 

"Well..I was lying.." 

He looked down slightly and folded his hands behind his back. He remembered that night as if it were yesterday. He did love her smell..it smelled so sweet and so rare..like the scent of an Angel. He blushed a bit at the thought, and when he looked back up, he found her mother's gaze still on him and that quickly broke him from the memory. 

"Oh! Well..I guess..I'll go then.." 

"Nonsense Inu Yasha! If you have to talk to her that bad I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing you at the dance tonight..!" 

"But..but she..but she's probably with that Hojo whats-his-face and..and I don't want to ruin her fun.." "Actually Inu Yasha..she went to the dance solo tonight..she told me that the person she wanted to go with wasn't here.." Her mother said softly with a bright smile on her face. Inu Yasha slowly looked up towards Kagome's mother, a look of surprise and hope plastered all over that gorgeous face of his. Did she mean..him? Did Kagome truly want to be with him? Then..was what Kaede said..true? 

"Really..?" 

"Yes..infact..I think that there is a suit of my late husband's in the closet that you can wear.." 

"Suit..?" ::Puzzled Look:: 

"Well ofcourse! You don't really think you'd be able to walk into the prom tonight wearing a 600 year old Kimono, now do you? You have to blend in or there could be questions asked that you cannot answer. And while we're getting you dressed, you can explain to me about your little change.." Her mother smiled, leading him out of the shrine and back towards the house. A small smile crept over his lips as he followed her out of the shrine. Her mother really wasn't so bad after all..ofcourse..that was suddenly crushed by the next words that came out from her mouth. 

"Oh and we will probably have to give you a bath as well.." 

"A bath?! Nooo! On second thought, I'll just come back later!" Inu Yasha tried to make a break for it but the ever present "mom hand" reached out and grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him inside the house, kicking and yelling. 

"Nonsense Inu Yasha..we'll just make you look nice and wash your hair and give you a bath." 

"Noo! Not the hair! HEEEEEEELP!" His yells could be heard all the way upstairs as Kagome's mother dragged him into the bathroom, filling the tub, and was quickly cut off by the sound of a large object being tossed into water. Sota and Grandpa looked up from their television show to hear the splashing from upstairs. Both looked at eachother in puzzlement before turning back to the cartoons, laughing. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, Kagome! Aren't you going to come out here and dance atleast one dance?!" Keiko hollered to her over the loud music of V6's "Made in Japan." Kagome looked up slowly from her seat at the table over to Keiko and gave a little smile and wave. 

"I'll come out in a little bit!" Kagome tried to holler back, but the music was to loud for Keiko to hear. Her friend came over to where she was sitting, moving in and out between the people before sitting down besides her, a look of worry on her face. Kagome looked at her with a slightly puzzled look, especially when Keiko took her hand and patted it gently. 

"Kagome-chan..is this..is this because Hojo decided to go with that other girl to the dance? Because if it is I'll go right over there and give him what he deserves!" Kagome gave a slightly shocked jerk back before regaining herself and laughing a bit. Well atleast no one had caught on just yet. It was true, Hojo had asked someone else..but that was only because Kagome told him to. Kagome looked to her friend and smiled gently, patting her own hand back before motioning her to go back out onto the dance floor. 

"I'm fine, honestly Keiko-chan..I just have a little headache from the loud music I suppose. I'll come out onto the dance floor as soon as it lets up a little, alright? Now go have some fun before I give you what's coming!" Both of the girls laughed and Keiko smiled and nodded. 

"Okay Kagome..but..if you need anything..don't hesitate to ask." Kagome nodded with a smile and wave as Keiko went back out onto the dance floor to regain herself with the boy she had been dancing with. Kagome watched her friend disappear into the crowd of people and she gave a deep sigh. She cupped her chin back into her palm, her elbow resting upon one of the wooden dinning tables, covered by the plush velvet and gold tablecloth, that had been set up all around the dinning and dance hall. It certainly was a very fancy place the school had decided on having the prom this year. Large, crystal and gold Chandalliers hung from the ceiling with the large disco ball hanging in the middle which reflected the many lights that had been shining at it all around the room, coating the dark walls like a star lit sky. The room was dimmed down to nothing, all except the lights they had fixed up all over the room and a few of the Chandalliers shone. Kagome looked all around the room in wonder. It had reminded her of one of the nights, back in the Feudal Ages, that they had slept out underneath the stars. The sky was so clear that night, and all she could remember was being able to see all the stars shine brightly without the smog or clouds in the way like in her time. She tried to tell Inu Yasha about what she had seen that night, but he really didn't pay much attention to it. 

_"Why are you talking about the sky like you've never seen it before?" _

"Because Inu Yasha, I haven't! In my time the sky is so full of dirt and pollution that you cannot see the stars so clearly like you can back in this time. It's so beautiful...to see such a sight.." 

"Feh. It's just stars Kagome...nothing special." 

"I guess he takes for granted his time like I take for mine.." she whispered softly to herself as she lowered her gaze back down towards the ground. She tilted her head slightly as she looked to the shoes her mother had given to her. The rhine stones began to sparkle a little bit as she tilted her feet from side to side, catching the reflection off of the disco ball. She smiled a little bit at the sight. "They look almost like Shikon Shards.." she whispered. Her mother had given her these shoes especially for this night, hoping they would bring her as much luck as they had done for her so many years ago. Kagome's smile slowly dwindled into a frown at the thought. Luck..ha..that was funny. What luck did she have? She stumbles into a well only to find herself back in the Feudal Ages of Japan. She meets a half demon who turns out to be a jerk and then this large piece of glass gets broken all because of her. Now she is stuck with this half demon in trying to find the shards. Over time she begins to realize that he isn't as bad as she had thought, only to now have his old girlfriend show up. And then he goes on this entire rampage on "avenging" her while he then toys with her emotions. And now when she thinks that he may actually really care about her he tells her.. 

_"If you go, then stay in your fucking time!"_

She could feel the tears building up along the edges of her eyes. She wanted to cry so much. The pain that had been in her heart ever since the day she saw him kiss Kikyou had been building up and up upon her fragile heart. She tried to be strong, she tried her hardest not to show emotion, but it seemed the more and more that she saw him or heard his voice, those barriers broke away. She needed him so much like a flower needs the sun to live. She needed Inu Yasha to be complete..to be whole..to live. And now here she was, on one of the happiest nights of her life before entereing into the world known as adult hood, and she couldn't be happy. Seeing all of the people at the dance, the couples or the newly couples, made her wonder even why she agreed on coming here in the first place..and it was then..the song came to an end. 

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen..I hope everyone here tonight is having a good time. We are going to end this night with a couple of nice slow songs for the lovely couples we have here before us. Our first selection comes to us all the way across the Pacific from the United States. Here are the Back Street Boys with their debut single, _"It's True."_

Kagome had heard the DJ announce the beginning of the slow songs for the night and her heart cringed. She wanted to get away, she had to get away. If she had heard one of those slow songs she knew exactly what it would've reminded her of and she couldn't bare to even think about it. She got up from her seat and turned towards where the large, open doors lay to her freedom. She wavered in and out of a few people, trying her best to get out as she heard the beginning notes of the song string up. She closed her eyes tightly and pushed her way through. She was so close, but it was then, that she had stopped frozen in her tracks. Everything around her had suddenly faded away and all that was there was her, surrounded by darkness and the ever present voice that rang softly through her ears like the whisper of an angel. 

"Kagome...?" 

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as chills ran down her spine, giving her goosebumps all over her arms. She wanted to turn around, and as she tried, it felt as if time was now taking forever. She slowly turned herself around to stand face to face with him, her voice now gone from her throat and her deep violet eyes full of surprise and happiness. He smiled gently at her and whispered once again. 

"Kagome...I finally found you..." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was then that the tears began to fall over the brim and spill down her cheeks like tiny rivers. Not tears of sadness but tears of sheer excitment and happiness. Both of her hands went to her mouth as she looked at him in sheer awe. He watched her for a moment before looking down to the floor, shuffling around and kicking the ground uncomfortably. 

"What..? Do I really look that bad?" He muttered underneath his breath. He wore one of the old black suits of Kagome's father which seemed to fit him perfectly although it would've been a hard match to tell just with the eye. The jacket hung off of him loosely at the bottom, with both hands shoved into the pockets of the pants. There was no tie, however, but the first three buttons of the white undershirt lay open, exposing the top half of his bare chest and the rosary that hung around his neck. His feet were bare, as usual, and his long black hair was tied up in the back in a low hanging ponytail with the two loose strands hanging down against his face. He slowly looked up at her with those deep hazel eyes. He looked so innocent and so pure whenever she saw him with those eyes during the new moon. Not as though he didn't look innocent when he was a demon, but as a human she knew he was vulnerable. Not vulnerable in strength but in emotion. Of all nights, this was the night where he truly understood and came to the reality of what it was like to feel compassion and the hurt and vulnerability that a human would feel. His demon half gave him the advantage of being able to subside those feelings to the point where it didn't bother him so much, but on these nights, there was no advantage. He was now her and her now him. He looked at her, adorned in her long, silken Amber dress, her midnight black hair pulled up into those ringlets with the cherry blossoms surrounding her hair and face and realized, for the first time after so long, that his vulnerability to her only strengthened his desire to be one with her and these emotions. 

Kagome moved towards him slowly as he watched her curiously. She went to reach out to touch him, to make sure that what she saw before her was not a dream. He looked so handsome in those clothes. Seeing him look so sophisticated in that suit with his hair actually fixed would've never crossed her mind when she thought of the wild spirit that was still inside of him. He smiled faintly and reached out as well, brushing the tips of his fingers over her own before grasping her hand gently and pulling her towards him until they were only standing an inch apart. She gasped softly in surprise as she felt herself barely against him. The sound of her heart pounding rang through her ears as she slowly looked up towards him, catching his own gaze staring into her eyes. She wanted to speak to him, to yell at him for not coming for her sooner, to cry into his shoulder and tell her how much she missed him, to hold him and speak the truth of what she had tried to hide for so long. She went to open her mouth, to finally speak the words that seemed a jumble in her mind, but when her lips went to move they were gently sealed with a single finger of his. She looked up at him curiously to see the look of both seriousness and yet sadness all over his face. He watched her for a moment before finally regaining his composure, pulling himself from the endless depths known as her eyes. As he spoke, the words of the song gently played around them, the almost complete silence of the room and the endless stars circling around them drew them further towards eachother until it was only them they saw. 

"Kagome..I.." 

_

> Even a lover makes a mistake sometimes 
> 
> Like any other 
> 
> Fall out and lose his mind...

_

"I'm sorry...about..about everything that I said back at the well.." he whispered softly down to her. It was hard for him to make eye contact, afraid she might say the ever fatefull words and he'd be slammed to the ground. He could feel her eyes burning into him and he very slowly looked back towards her eyes, only to see the tears brimming at the corners. Those eyes..so full of..happiness..? He swallowed hard and he felt the sudden heat come to his cheeks and he tried to hide it away. She looked so..delicate..with those eyes. 

"Inu Yasha..I..gah you stupid jerk!" She suddenly latched onto him, crying into his chest as she held him tightly. He stumbled back slightly and looked down at her in surprise, his arms suddenly going around her as if by instinct. She gripped onto the sleeves of the suit's jacket as she cried, muttering into his chest. 

"Baka! I..I thought you'd never come back..I was so worried about you.." He held her tighter, resting his chin gently on the top of her head as he breathed in her scent. Even though his sensitive dog nose was gone, he could still smell the strong, sweet scent she gave off of jasmine and now, the blooms of cherry blossoms that adorned her head. 

_

> And I'm sorry for the things I did 
> 
> For the teardrops over words I said 
> 
> Can you forgive me and open your heart once again...?

_

He pulled her back from him slightly and looked down at her tear stained face. He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks away with the tip of his finger and twirled one of the ringlets around his finger. She watched him curiously for a moment before he looked back to her once again. 

"I was stupid Kagome..I was very stupid..I didn't mean to tell you not to come back..infact..I didn't mean to tell you to leave in the first place. I was just...upset because...because..I need you.." he whispered softly. Her eyes suddenly widened in surprise. 

"N..nani..?" 

> _It's true _
> 
> I mean it 
> 
> From the bottom of my heart 
> 
> Yeah, it's true 
> 
> Without you I would fall apart...

"I mean it Kagome..I need you..when I heard that you were going to leave again..I couldn't stand the thought of having to spend an entire week without seeing you..smelling you..hearing your voice..even if you were yelling at me. Those words that I said..were said out of frustration..and out of sadness. Without you Kagome..I..I just fall apart.." He looked away from her and shuffled once again in uneasement. It was bad enough that he could feel her eyes on him, but the feeling of these pants and this shirt that were much tighter than his kimono. How did anyone in this age live wearing these clothes anyhow? It was then that he felt her finger tips upon his chin, tilting his head back up to look at her. She was looking deeply into his eyes, a look that he had never seen before. She looked as if she were studying a picture..his face..searching for that hidden answer that he had tried to hide away. But it was no use..only one person would ever be able to read him..and she was almost finished. 

"Inu Yasha...?" 

"Y..yes Kagome..?" He swallowed hard. What...what was she going to say? 

"Can..can we go outside..?" He almost fell over with anticipation at the comment. He regained himself and nodded, taking her hand and leading her back outside from where he came in. The night air was warm and yet comfortable. They made their way over to one of the lunch tables underneath one of the lights on the campus, sitting down besides eachother on the bench, neither one speaking. There was a silence for a few minutes, each giving quick glances over at eachother and then looking away quickly. Inu Yasha scolded himself on the inside for having said those words. How could he give himself away like that so easily? It was her..it was just seeing her that made him melt like butter. He gathered himself up and took a deep breath. He had to break this silence, he had to do something to end this tension that was so thick that it could've been cut with a knife. He turned to her quickly, it was now time, it was now or never! 

"Kagome, I-!" He was suddenly cut off and almost knocked off the bench as he felt Kagome leap into his arms, her warm lips pressing against his own gently and softly, and yet, full of a strong passion that seemed to strike through him like a lightning bolt. His eyes grew wide as they glanced down at her, her arms around his neck and her eyes closed, seeming to sink deeper and deeper into this which she had only dreamt about in her mind. The first time he had ever felt lips upon his own were those cold lips of Kikyou when she had kissed him that night so long ago. He remembered seeing Kagome's face when she was confronted about the fact that he had kissed Kikyou. She looked so sad..and so hurt..and even though he didn't say it, his heart broke when he saw those eyes. But now, as he watched her kiss him, his heart had finally began to mend, and he felt the pounding in his chest return of his heart. Was..was this it? Was this what he had so longed for when Kikyou was alive? No..no this couldn't have been it. Yes, he did love Kikyou, but that was in the past. When he had finally felt those lips on his own, all those dreams, all those hopes that he had wanted so long ago whenever he dreamed of finally being with Kikyou, were not there. It was as empty as her eyes. He had been sealed away in that frozen state until the warmth that he needed would unfreeze that heart. And now, he felt that warmth, and he wrapped his arms around it tightly and welcomed it with an open heart. He wanted to save this warmth, to bottle it up and away forever, but for now, all he wanted to do was meld with the warmth and close his eyes, never wanting to leave this moment of true love. 

She finally pulled herself from the endless bliss she had just felt and brought herself back into reality. What was she thinking?! How could she have done something like that, so unprompted! She knew exactly what she was thinking, and surprisingly, it didn't scare her. All of her thoughts of dread and fear of him pushing her away where all pushed away as soon as she felt those strong arms wrap around her, his lips entwining with her own underneath the black sky, the new moon. It all had seemed to happen in one big blur, but as her eyes slowly opened to find his own looking right back into her own, it all had come together in those three simple yet powerful words. 

> _Whatever happened _
> 
> I know that I was wrong 
> 
> Can you believe me? 
> 
> Maybe your faith is gone... 
> 
> But I love you and always will 
> 
> So I wonder if you love me still 
> 
> Can you forgive me and open your heart once again...?

"My..first kiss.." she whispered to him as a smile crept over his lips. She shook her head and looked away, scolding herself mentally. No! Wrong three words! She looked back to him with a little sigh. As much as she wanted to say it, it seemed as if those words would never come out. She went to speak but his finger slowly went back to her lips, tracing the outline of her lips lightly with his fingertip and then tucking it beneath her chin, drawing her closer until her ear was right against his lips. 

"Aishiteru...Kagome.." Those whispered words and his breath against her ear made her whole body shiver. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel her hands shaking a little. Had she just heard those words come from his mouth..? She leaned back so that she could look him in the eyes. Those deep hazel pools of his began to pull her back into their endless abyss but she fought it off long enough before giving back in. She had to know if this was the truth or just some cruel joke Kami-sama wanted to play on her. It was then that he reached into his pocket and pulled something out from it. She looked towards his hand and followed it until both hands went up behind her neck. She felt the strong aura around her as it fell down to the base of her neck, its familiar and strong glow casting a bright light in the dark night. She smiled gently as she looked down to Inu Yasha, staring up at her with a serious yet gentle look on his face. 

"I need you to help me finish this...so that when it's finally complete..we can come back here to your school and have more of these things you call a 'prom.'" She blinked a few times in confusion and tilted her head slightly at him. What was he saying..? 

"Inu Yasha..you know there is no way I could hide you in my world while you were a full demon.." She said quietly. He smiled at her softly and gently ran his fingers through those ringlet and then traced his fingertip along her jawline and then down to where the jewel hung. 

"Why would you need to hide me if I were one like you..?" It was then that her heart had stopped. He..he wanted to become a human?! But..but after so many arguments..after so many times of hearing how he was going to become a full youkai, was he actually going to become a human..for her..? 

"Inu..Yasha..?" 

"Kagome..all my life I wanted to find a place to call my own..to actually find one side to be on. I couldn't be a human and I couldn't be a demon. Finding out about the Shikon no Tama gave me the hope of finally finding my place. When Kikyou protected it..I had wanted it to become a full demon, to know longer hear the jeers of the other demons of being called a 'half breed.' But I couldn't get it from her..and then she died..and I had become weak..thinking for that one moment that instead of becoming a demon I would become a human for her...but when you came back with the Tama, I thought I had finally found my second chance. But now I see..that I don't want the jewel at all..the only reason I want you to be here to help me find the jewel shards is because I want you here besides me. I need you with me..and I don't care if it takes another 50 years to complete this jewel..atleast it will be 50 years with you by my side..I want..I want to grow old with you Kagome..I never want to lose you..I lost Kikyou..and now I realize..that all this time it wasn't her I saw in you..it was you that I saw..and it was you that I helplessly fell for..she..she is now a moment in the past..but you..you are my future..and I will do anything to spend this future with you.." 

She buried her face back into his chest and held him tightly, the tears of joy running down her cheeks and onto his shirt. He held her tightly against him and drowned once again in the warmth. She listened to the beat of his heart as she lay there, crying softly in joy and in disbelief. All those times that she thought he wanted the jewel were those moments that he wanted her to stay with him. She knew..then and there..as she listened to the gentle beat of his heart, the warmth around her in those strong arms and this person whom she had come to love so long ago, that her own mission was complete. 

"Aishiteru Inu Yasha...I love you too..." She whispered softly to him and to the night..and the new moon. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Kagome awoke, she found herself in her bed in her bedroom, still dressed in her Amber prom dress, the covers pulled up against her snuggly. She sat up slowly, stretching and yawning and trying to rub the sleepiness from her eyes. She then remembered what she had happened last night and she looked around quickly for him, hoping that he was still here. 

"Inu Yasha??" She looked to the window sill and the tree but his presence was not there. She frowned slightly and slipped out from her bed, shuffling downstairs to find herself greeted by her mother who was making pancakes in the kitchen. She turned towards Kagome and smiled brightly, laying another pancake onto a plate and offering the plate towards her. 

"Good morning Kagome. Hungry?" Her mother said cheerfully. Kagome looked towards the plate and shook her head slowly before walking over and sitting down in one of the kitchen table's chairs. Her mother turned away from the oven and set the plate down onto the table before sitting in the adjacent chair besides Kagome's, looking towards her daughter with a slight smile. 

"Kagome..what's wrong?" 

"Mama..what happened last night..?" 

"Well..you went to the prom and then you came back here.." 

"Did..did Inu Yasha show up..?" 

"What do you mean Kagome?" Her mother smiled a little to herself. Kagome looked down towards her hands and then caught, in the corner of her eye, the glint from her mother's shoes that she still wore. She slipped the shoes off and handed them back to her mother with a tiny smile. Her mother took them and looked to Kagome as she saw her daughter try and avoid the question. 

"Did they bring you luck last night Kagome..? 

"I don't know mama..I thought they did..but I think that I was dreaming.." 

"I'm sorry to hear that Kagome..you know..I think a nice walk around the Shrine will do you some good to help clear your mind. Who knows, maybe it will help your memory?" She said happily as she stood back up from the table and turned towards the stairs, walking back up to her room with a large smile across her face. 

Kagome watched her mother leave and decided to take her advice. She probably was dreaming. Only something as perfect as that would only happen in a dream. She made her way back up to her bedroom and changed into her usual clothes and headed back down the steps and out the back door of the kitchen into the Shrine's area. She walked along the cobble stone path towards where the mini shrine lay. The warm light from the sun made her body feel much better against the cold feeling of realization that what she had hoped happened but actually just another dream. She finally arrived at the entrance of the minishrine and looked down inside until she caught view of the well that lead back to..to him. She looked down, away from it, her heart beginning to ache. She leaned herself against the side of the door and sighed softly. She wanted to just erase the pain that this was causing and just wake up from this nightmare that kept haunting her. 

"So you finally decided to wake up.." She sat up startled at the voice and spun around, only to be greeted by those deep amber eyes and that body that only stood an inch away from her. She looked up towards him, stammering slightly for those words. He..he was here? Does that mean then..? She looked into his eyes and then followed the loose white strands of hair that hung down against his face. He had his old kimono back on with the faithful Tetsusaiga by his side. His face was stern as usual but as she looked closer, she found gentleness in his eyes. He reached out slowly and touched the base of her neck where the Shikon No Tama still laid against her smooth skin. She looked down at his hand and became startled, since she woke up, finally realizing that it had hung around her neck. She looked back up towards him and went to speak but his fingertip pressed against her lips gently and that soft smile appeared over his lips once again as he leaned down and softly pressed his own against hers. The feeling of warmth flooded back through them as was cut off slightly as he leaned back only a bit so that their lips barely touched as he whispered to her. "I've been waiting all morning for you to wake up so that I could do that again.." She felt her cheeks grow warm with her blush as she looked up towards him and smiled. This..this was no dream. He walked past her and went down the steps of the shrine until he was at the bottom. She raised her eyebrow curiously at him as he reached down and pulled her bag up from the ground and slung it over his shoulder. He smiled at her and extended his hand out towards her. 

"Kagome..? Would you honor me in helping complete my mission..so that I can finally begin my destiny with the one who has mended this broken heart..?" 

Kagome turned back towards her house and saw her mother standing in the kitchen doorway with a smile on her face. Kagome smiled back to her mother and saw her nod in approval before turning back to Inu Yasha, walking down the steps and taking ahold of his hand. Their fingers entwindled and held on as though they would never let go again as they both stepped up onto the well's lip. With one last look at eachother, they smiled and looked down into the welcoming darkness of the well and jumped inside, cutting through time but mending a future...together... 

**The End**


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